


Beer Battered Chicken

by FitofPaige



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcoholism, Depression, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fighting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader-Insert, Romance, farming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2018-12-25 06:22:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12030003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FitofPaige/pseuds/FitofPaige
Summary: You've just moved to Stardew Valley to get away from your past and the dullness of city life. There are many people to meet and lots of new things to learn. Will you end up making the same mistakes as before, or will you finally build the life here that you've always dreamed of?*Better summary probably coming soon :)





	1. Into The Valley

**Author's Note:**

> OH HEY WELCOME! It's been a while since I've written (btw, sorry I had to step away from my last fic. I feel terrible.) but I decided that I miss it too much, but I didn't want to just write another Undertale fic.
> 
> I've been completely obsessed with Stardew Valley since it came out and I just loooove the world and characters in it! They basically begged to have fics written about them! Sooo, here I am! Please bear with me while I get back into the writing habit. I have a job now and sometimes I just want to come home and sleep :P  
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this new fic! Please leave a comment below if you're excited!  
> <333

You looked over the farm that had once been your grandfather’s. Trees and other various foliage had completely taken over in the years since his passing. For many people, this would have been too much work to handle, but you smiled as you took in the sights. It was a welcome challenge compared to the day to day monotony of the 9 to 5, stuffy office life you left behind.

“So, what do you think?”

You turned back toward the town mayor, Lewis, who’s gray mustache twitched with anticipation for your answer

“I love it.” You told him.

The wrinkles around his eyes creased further as his smile widened. His kind eyes seemed even brighter then. 

“Glad to hear it.” He said, “Your grandpa would be proud.”

The door to your new home swung open and Robin, the town’s carpenter, stepped out. She sighed, brushing away a few strands of red hair from her face.

“Well, I guess it’s livable… barely.” She looked over at you, “You’re definitely going to want to see me after you’ve gathered materials and made some money, though.”

“Robin!” Lewis sputtered.

“What? I’m just being honest. The house could cave in at any moment!”

Lewis shook his head, “Don’t mind her, it isn’t as bad as she makes it out to be.”

“See for yourself.” She said, stepping out of the doorway.

You entered the tiny cabin, thinking that it used to be much bigger when you visited as a child. It was made up of one room, and you were surprised to see that there wasn’t even a kitchen. How did grandpa cook??

There was a sharp intake of breath behind you, apparently the mayor had not been in here recently either, and you couldn’t help but chuckle when you heard Robin mutter “told you.”

“I actually like it.” You said, “It looks comfortable and inviting.”

“You must have been living in the city far too long.”

“Robin!” Lewis yelled once again.

Robin smiled and rolled her eyes, “Well, I’ll see you later. Remember to come visit the shop! We live right above you, near the mines!”

You waved as she left the house. Lewis’s gaze moved over the interior of the cabin, and you could tell he was trying to keep a positive vibe about him.

“Don’t mind her.” He said, “She’s just trying to work you up to get your business.”

“I can’t say I blame her, the place will need some work sooner or later.” You told him, “But it’ll be just fine right now, thank you, mayor.”

A smile appeared on his face once again, “Please, just call me Lewis. I’m glad you like the area, it looks like you’ll fit in just fine around here.”

Lewis began to leave, but looked back just before stepping outside.

“Make sure you introduce yourself to all your new neighbors. It pays off to have friends here.”

You nodded and, with one last goodbye, he was out the door. As silence fell over you, you looked around the room once again. 

A fireplace stood in the far right corner with a small, wooden dining table next to it with a singular chair. In the far left corner there was was a large tube tv on a stand, and you wondered if the channels were even in color.

You found yourself moving toward the bed nearby. It had been a long day and your body was giving out. It was earlier than you were used to hitting the hay, but greeting the townsfolk would have to wait until tomorrow.

Resting back into the sheets, you breathed a deep, cleansing breath. This was a brand new start for you here in Stardew Valley. Nobody knew a thing about your personality or past, you had no friends or enemies, and no one had anything to judge you on… yet, anyway.

You rolled over onto your stomach and buried your face in the pillow, trying to imagine the kinds of people you’d meet tomorrow as you drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

*Knock knock*

Your eyes fluttered open and you glanced at your alarm clock. 

“Who’s visiting at 6 in the morning?” you mumbled, tossing the cover off yourself and getting to your feet.

There were a few more soft knocks on your front door before you opened it, revealing a middle-aged woman with wavy, brown hair that fell over her shoulder in a messy braid. Next to her there was a tan dog that looked like a mix of doberman and labrador, with some other possible breeds inbetween.

“Howdy!” The woman smiled, “My name is Marnie, I run the ranch south of here in Cindersap forest.”

You put on the best smile you possibly could that early in the morning.

“Hi, nice to meet you!” You said, introducing yourself.

“Likewise!” She looked to the dog then back at you, “Say, you have any pets?”

“Afraid not.”

She seemed to perk up a bit more with your answer.

“Well, this little guy has been running around between here and my place. I leave food out for him sometimes, but I just don’t have the time to give him the attention he deserves.”

You knew where she was going with this. Clearly she was seeing if you’d take the stray in, but she didn’t want to sound pushy about it.

You knelt down a bit and met the dog’s gaze. He blinked and tilted his head, his eyes full of curiosity.

“Aw, who’s a good boy?” You asked, reaching out and scratching the area behind one of his ears, “Is it you? Are you the good boy?”

The dog panted happily and kicked one of his back legs against the porch. You let out a small laugh and stood back up.

“Well, if he’s got nowhere else to go, there’s plenty of space for him here!” You said.

Marnie patted the dog on the head, “Hear that, boy? Looks like you have a permanent home here in the valley now!”

The two of you talked while you thought over potential names for your new companion. You learned that Marnie had a nephew and niece that both lived with her and helped out on the farm. She kindly invited you to join them for dinner the next night and you were much obliged… after all, you didn’t even have a kitchen to make your own food.

“You know what?” You finally said, looking down at the dog once again, “I think I’ll call you Porter.”

“Oh! Porter is such a nice name!” Marnie exclaimed, “I just know he is going to love it here, you seem like a very kind individual.”

You nearly blushed, “Heh, thanks Marnie.”

“Alright, I don’t want to take too much of your time.” She said, stepping back off the porch, “I look forward to seeing you for dinner tomorrow night!”

You waved goodbye to Marnie and stepped back inside the house to open the care package Lewis had given you when you arrived at the valley. Inside were various farming tools and some Parsnip seeds.

“Ya know, Porter, I don’t know a whole lot about farming, just what my grandpa taught me when I was little… but how hard can it be?”

 

* * *

 

It was a lot harder than it seemed. You were already feeling exhausted after planting some seeds and clearing away a few rocks and tree limbs to make room for more crops. You decided to stop sometime after noon to explore the town, hoping to grab a hot meal and a cold drink while you were out.

The gentle Spring breeze tousled your hair as you walked the cobblestones in the center of town. You passed by the clinic on the way to the general store, Pierre’s. 

You entered the store and waved to the man behind the register, who you assumed to be Pierre. He greeted you and rattled off the day's deals in true retail fashion. Unsure of what items the store carried, you started with the aisles on the right side of the room, looking over everything on the shelves and making mental notes on what you might possibly need in the future.

Staring at a shelf of seeds, you quickly became overwhelmed. Perhaps you should have done some research before making the big leap from city to country life. You glanced back at the counter to find the owner helping a customer, not wanting to interrupt their conversation, you looked around for another employee.

Down the aisle you saw a man who didn't look too much older than you. His messy hair was a deep eggplant purple with an almost maroon tone to it and he was sporting a dark blue jacket with a symbol from a brand you were all too familiar with: Joja.

Back in the big city you worked an office job for the major company. It was a stressful yet boring job that didn't pave any sort of way for a long time career. You remembered Grandpa saying something about Joja possibly building a market in Stardew Valley, looked like that happened unfortunately.

“Hey, excuse me, can you help me wi-”

“No.”

You stopped in your tracks and stared at the man. He hadn't even looked up at you. A twinge of anger gnawed at your insides.

“Wow, I'm sure Joja appreciates your extraordinary customer service skills.”

He scowled and put down the item he'd been holding. Turning to finally acknowledge your existence, his dark eyes met yours.

“For one, we aren't at Joja mart.” He said “And the less people I have to deal with, the better.”

“What the hell is your problem?” You blurted out.

He let out a sigh and turned away, “Look, I don’t know you, and I don’t care to know you… Find someone else to bother.”

Before you could say anything else, he was walking out the door. For a few moments you stood there, stunned. All you wanted was to ask a question and you ended up meeting possibly the rudest person in the valley… at least you hoped that was the worst this place had to offer.

“Excuse me, miss?”

You turned around to see the man who had been at the register. He adjusted his glasses and gave you a small smile.

“Don’t mind him, he’s…” He hesitated and look toward the door, “He’s got his own issues.”

You let out a breath to help calm yourself, “It’s alright. Everyone has bad days, I guess.”

The man looked back to you and put on an even bigger grin, extending his hand to you.

“I’m Pierre, by the way. You must be the new farmer!”

“Yep, that’s me!” You said, shaking his hand.

“Great. Let me help you get started.” He said.

Pierre showed you around the store, giving you farming tips along the way. He really knew a lot about sowing crops, and you were really thankful for his expertise. It wasn’t long before you had a bag full of supplies and a nearly empty wallet. 

“Ugh, looks like I’m not gonna have enough to buy a full meal. Maybe a snack or something.” You said to yourself as you were walking back outside.

“Hey, you’re the new girl, yeah?”

You looked over to your right and saw a pale girl with bright purple hair. She seemed to be posting something to the bulletin board out front.

“Yeah.” You said, introducing yourself.

“Cool. My name is Abigail, but you can call me Abby.” She said, “I overheard you saying something about snacks. Here ya go.”

She handed you an item that looked like a rock… a quartz maybe?

“Um…”

“Don’t knock it until you try it!” She said, waving to you as she entered the store.

You weren’t sure what to say. Did that girl actually EAT rocks? 

‘Maybe I could sell it and get some actual food.’ you thought to yourself, pocketing the rock.

You walked back to your farm, content with eating food you had brought on the move for now. You began planting all of your new seeds, excited at the thought of your very first harvest.

By the time you had finished, the sun was beginning to set. Promising yourself that you'd meet more people tomorrow, you called for Porter and the two of you went inside. The whole farming business would be rough, but you were ready for a new beginning in Stardew Valley.


	2. The Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all gotta forgive me, I kinda lost motivation for this after one chapter. I just finished my last Undertale fic and... then I got an idea for a new one, so THAT'S a thing that's happening.
> 
> I still want to write this story, though I wish I had made it a collection of drabbles because I want to get to the main scenes of the storyyyy!! XD
> 
> Soo this probably won't be updated all that regularly. But as soon as I write a new chapter, It'll go up.
> 
> Enjoy!  
> -Paige

Your second day on the farm went a little more smoothly, though you were beginning to regret the amount of seeds you had planted once you finished watering them all.

 

After breakfast, you decided to take a tour of the town. You met Penny, a sweet lady who tutored the two kids in town. She took you to the library, which doubled as a museum in town… or it did, until someone stole all the artifacts. You felt for the owner, Gunther. Who would do such a thing?

 

Behind the library was a blacksmith, and further behind that there was a large Joja Mart. It seemed so out of place in such a quaint village.

 

Not wanting to even go near that building, you asked Penny if she could point you to some nearby places of interest. She seemed happy to, and told you about the beach south of there and the mountains north. You thanked her and headed to the beach.

You were able to acquire a fishing rod from a man who owned a shop on the pier. After a few tries casting you really started to get the hang of it, bringing in a new fish every 10 to 20 minutes. Soon you had enough to fill up your entire stringer. 

“I wonder how much money these will fetch me.” You said as you gathered your belongings, “Hmm… maybe I should keep some to actually cook. I’m sure it isn’t too difficult to do the whole ‘roasting over a fire’ thing.”

Looking down at your watch you gasped, it wouldn’t be long before you were supposed to be over at Marnie’s, and there you were covered in sand, smelling like sushi. Immediately you began booking it home, hoping that you had enough to time to get all the fish in the shipment box, shower, and actually make yourself look decent before dinner.

 

* * *

 

Dressed in a pair of nice black jeans and a yellow blouse, you made your way to Marnie’s ranch in Cindersap Forest. She lived in a quaint little house with the barn next door. You noticed a few cows out in the pasture grazing and wondered when you’d be able to afford a barn and some animals.

You stepped up to the front door and gave it a few knocks. It wasn’t long before it swung open, revealing Marnie. Her hair was a little messy and she looked like she had been running around or something.

“Ah, there you are! I was just telling Shane that you’d probably be here soon. Come on in!” She said, happily.

The name Shane sounded familiar, that was her nephew, right? You wondered how old he was, she didn’t really say last time you spoke.

You stepped inside and your eyes were immediately drawn to the yellow wallpaper covered in eggs… Not actual eggs, just pictures. There was a counter which you assumed she did all of her business at, and room off to the side where you could see the flickering light from a fireplace dancing on the wall.

She led you into the kitchen, which smelled of apple pie and looked absolutely inviting. It was like jumping into a southern living magazine. 

“Go ahead and take a seat at the table if you’d like.” Marnie said, “I’m gonna go get Jas and let her know dinner is almost ready.”

She walked out of the room, leaving you alone in the kitchen. Instead of immediately sitting down, you took a look around. There were pictures on the wall of scenery and, you guessed, family. Lots of little knick knacks lined the back of the counters. Making your way to the fridge, you noticed some drawings being held up by magnets, obviously done by a child, but out of the corner of your eye you noticed a picture of someone you swear you’d seen-

“ _ You’re _ the guest Marnie was talking about?”

You spun around and your mood plummeted. Standing in front of you was the guy you’d met at Pierre’s the day before, the rude one.

“Yeah, she invited me yesterday after I got settled in at the farm.” You told him, standing tall and placing your hands on your hips, “And who are you?”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, “I’m Shane. Marnie is my aunt.”

You were baffled, “How can someone like you be related to someone as sweet as Marnie?”

You really didn’t mean for that to come out but sometimes you just had issues keeping your thoughts to yourself. 

Shane rolled his eyes, “Hit me with something I  _ haven’t _ heard before.”

You opened your mouth to say something but shut it as you saw Marnie walking in, a small purple-haired girl trailing behind her.

“Ah, Shane! I see you’ve finally met our guest! I hope you two are getting along.” Marnie said.

“Oh yeah, we’re practically best friends now.” Shane said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Marnie, clearly ignoring Shane’s words, turned back toward you and pulled the girl behind her to her side.

“This is Jas, my niece. Say hi, Jas.”

Jas looked up at you shyly, “Hi…”

You smiled, “Hi Jas. It’s nice to meet you!”

She gave a small wave, but held onto Marnie with her other hand, clearly unsure about talking to the stranger in her home.

“Alright, now that we’ve all met each other, why don’t the three of you sit down and I’ll bring out the food.” 

“Here, I’ll help you out, Marnie.” Shane said, following her over to the stove.

You sat down at the small wooden table, with Jas sitting to your right. Not being used to being waited on, you tried your best to ignore the feeling of awkwardness by attempting to start up a conversation with Marnie’s niece, but no matter what you asked, she would only give one word answers, or a nod. Soon you were both sitting in silence as Marnie and Shane set the table.

“So, you came from the city, right?” Marnie asked you as she took her seat, “What made you decide to move here?”

“Well, honestly I needed a change.” You told her, “I worked for the Joja corporation and I just felt like I was going nowhere.”

A grunting noise from across the table made you pause. Shane didn’t make eye contact though, just continued to pile food onto his plate.

“My grandpa had given me a letter before he died and told me to open it if I got tired of the way life was going for me.” You continued, “So once I felt that way, I opened it up and saw that he had left me his farm here.”

Marnie passed more food around for everyone and you put a little bit of everything on your plate. It was a typical country meal with meat and potatoes with gravy, some greens and other veggies on the side. It all smelled delicious.

“Sounds like your grandpa was really looking out for you.” Marnie said.

You nodded, “He always did. He always seemed to know what was good for me, even when I didn’t see it.”

Marnie nodded, “I definitely understand that. Well, I hope you are enjoying it out here so far.”

“I am! Everyone has been really nice and welcoming!”

You side eyed Shane. “Most everyone, anyway.”

Shane glared at you for a split second before turning his attention back to his meal. 

You smiled back at Marnie, “I haven’t been able to meet everyone yet, but I’m sure I’ll get around to it.”

Over the next few hours Marnie talked to you about her ranch and the different animals she sold, Jas and what she’d been learning lately, and how Shane was liking his job.

“It pays for the beer and rent.” He said.

Marnie looked over at him disapprovingly and Jas just pushed the food on her plate around. An awkward moment passed and you decided to change subject.

“So, is there anything I should know about the area?” You asked, “Do you have any recommendations as to anywhere I should go?”

“Well, the valley isn't too big… just make sure you're careful in the forest.” Marnie said, “Oh, and I would stay away from the tower to the west if I were you. It's very… strange.”

“Strange how?” You asked.

“Well, a gentlemen lives there on his own, everyone just calls him the wizard. I'm just not sure I trust him.” She said.

“Oh.” Was all you said.

“There's a mine to the north.” She told you, “Though a rockslide blocked the bridge to it. There's a team of people working to get it fixed though!”

You perked up, “That sounds like it’d be fun to explore once it’s open again!”

Jas gave a little shiver, “I hear there’s monsters in there.”

Marnie reached over and ruffled her hair, “And that’s why we stay away from it and leave it to the explorers, yeah?”

Jas nodded and you smiled at her. She was quite adorable, and seemed very smart as well.

Over the course of the dinner, you and Marnie mostly chatted about life in the valley. Sometimes Jas chimed in with her own stories, usually about what she learned from Penny and what kinds of games she and the other kid, Vincent played.

Shane barely said anything, choosing only to respond when Marnie asked him a question. Other than that, he just ate his food with an “I couldn’t care less” look on his face the entire time. It was a bit annoying, and definitely rude. Did Marnie have to deal with this kind of thing constantly?

After everyone was finished eating, you insisted on helping with the dishes. Aftera bit of back and forth with Marnie, she finally gave in. As you hand washed the glasses, you watched Shane grab a beer from the fridge and head back to his room, casting a glare your way as he left.

“Don’t mind him.” Marnie said quietly after a moment, “Shane isn’t a bad person, he’s just got some… issues.”

“Hm?”

“He’s had a hard time. You just gotta have a bit of patience with him.” 

She didn’t say anything else on the subject, instead deciding to steer the conversation in a new direction. You were curious as to what kind of difficulties Shane had faced, but you had just met these people and the last thing you wanted to do was make yourself out to be a nosey neighbor.

“Thank you so much for coming over for dinner, and helping with the dishes.” Marnie said to you, “I think Jas enjoyed having you over as well.”

You smiled, “I really enjoyed being here! I appreciate you inviting me, it’s been a very nice welcome to the valley.”

Marnie smiled, “Good, I’m glad to hear it.”

After the dishes were done, you realized just how late it was getting and decided that you needed to head out for the night. Jas and Marnie stood with you at the door as you thanked them once again.

“You’re welcome back anytime.” Marnie told you.

You smiled at her, “Thanks. I’m sure I’ll be back to visit soon.”

“Be careful going home in the dark.” Jas said.

“I will be.” You told her.

A movement in the doorway back to the kitchen caught your eye and you noticed Shane heading back from his room. He looked your way for a moment, his face emotionless. You were about to lift your hand and wave at him, if only to be nice to Marnie’s family, but his back was to you before your hand even moved.

Marnie followed your eyes and sighed before giving you an apologetic look.

“He’ll come around.” She said.

You wanted to tell her it really didn’t matter. He was just one person who didn’t like you out of the many who seemed to. You just decided to smile at her.

Still, as you walked home that night, you couldn’t help but wonder… Why  _ did  _ he dilike you?

 

**Author's Note:**

> [FOLLOW ME ON TUMBLR!](https://fitofpaige17.tumblr.com/)


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